The present invention relates to a children""s ride-on vehicle. More particularly, the present invention provides a children""s ride-on vehicle that includes an audio-visual device configured to emit at least one of a light and a sound when activated.
Children""s ride-on vehicles are toy vehicles designed to be ridden by a child. Ride-on vehicles typically include a body sized to accommodate and for use by a child, a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body, a seat for the child to sit on, a motor and power supply to drive the wheels, and a steering mechanism operable from the seat so that the vehicle can be controlled by the child.
Children""s ride-on vehicles are sometimes modeled after familiar or popular full-sized vehicles. These ride-on vehicles may include scaled-down versions of many of the features found on the full-sized vehicles. Other children""s ride-on vehicles often resemble fantasy vehicles that do not have a corresponding full-sized counterpart. Sometimes children""s ride-on vehicles include light and/or sound emitting devices to add to the child""s enjoyment of using the vehicles. The term xe2x80x9caudio-visual devicexe2x80x9d, as used herein, refers to devices that emit either light, sound, or both light and sound. For example, ride-on vehicles that resemble law enforcement vehicles may include lights and/or sirens to more closely resemble full-sized law enforcement vehicles. These audio-visual devices are generally attached as an appendage to the hood or top of a ride-on vehicle. Thus, they tend to extend away from the body of the vehicle as an attached accessory, making them more vulnerable to damage or impact compared to other parts of the vehicle. Furthermore, they add to the materials and assembly required for the vehicle.
The present invention provides a ride-on vehicle for children comprising a body with a seat, a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to the body, a steering mechanism operable by a child seated on the seat, and a frame forming a portion of the body. The frame includes a plurality of interconnected frame members, with at least one of the frame members comprising an audio-visual device configured to emit at least one of a light and a sound upon the occurrence of a triggering event. The audio-visual device has opposing end regions that are connected to other frame members such that the audio-visual device forms a portion of the frame and maintains other frame members in a spaced-apart relationship. In some embodiments, the frame at least partially defines a riding space, and the audio-visual device is configured to be activated by a child seated within the riding space.